Both of these wines are great quality, great value and great budget options if you’re catering for a large crowd. The gold-medal winning Red Knot has all the appeal of a rich, chocolatey McLaren Vale shiraz, and I think the Stonyfell is a pure delight!

Bring a touch of northern hemisphere Christmas to your table with these French reds. The Mouton Cadet is from one of Bordeaux’s most famous producers and is bold enough to work with the main course. For something different, the plummy Henry Fessy is quite rich for a Beaujolais but lighter than a shiraz or cabernet.

A true Aussie Christmas needs both a sparkling shiraz and something from the Penfolds canon. This number from Riddoch is delicious with a cheeky mince pie or two. And for Penfolds, you can’t go past the newly released vintage of the Bin 28 Kalimna Shiraz. It’s an awesome gift and just an awesome drink.